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In the last 5-10 years we have seen a massive shift in the importation and marketing of dogs from other countries. These dogs are perceived to have more immediate and serious needs than the dogs in our local communities.

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There is a kernel to truth to this. The number of adoptable dogs in the Metro Vancouver shelter system has decreased, while demand for adoptable dogs has increased. This creates a market for mass importation, irresponsible rescue practices, unethical breeding, and other animal trafficking practices.

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But make no mistake - there is certainly a homeless animal and overpopulation crisis in our province. It is out of sight of most Metro Vancouver dwellers, who literally line up to adopt dogs fresh off the truck from Arizona or a plane from Mexico. It is the dogs in our rural, remote, and First Nations communities.

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Wild West Animal League was inspired by the work of Meghan and her partner Nate. Living in Anahim Lake in the Chilcotin, they became an impromptu shelter for her community. Dogs were dropped off at her work or home, sometimes weekly. Litters of puppies and kittens are surrendered to her on a regular basis, and she has transported up to 30 at a time.

 

At the same time, it was clear that many community members loved their animals and tried to do their best for them. However, a vet or even a pet store is a minimum four-hour drive away, sometimes in treacherous conditions. Not everyone is able to drive or has access to a reliable, safe vehicle. Post-Covid, waiting lists for vet appointments were long. Spay/neuter surgeries are expensive and usually means two days off work and a hotel stay.

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People like Nate & Meghan, and our representative Linda in Williams Lake, work overtime to try to make connections for people in these remote communities. They bring in expertise and supplies, and bring pets out for rescue transfer or for spay/neuter surgeries.

Once we started looking around, we found that these local superheroes were everywhere, but most of them are humble and solution-oriented folks. Their communities know them well, but they aren't online promoting their work or asking for fundraising help. Many of them are paying for supplies, gas, and vet care out of their own pocket.

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We are here to change that! We are here to bring awareness to the need within our province, to support the incredible changemakers who are helping, and to inspire British Columbians to help locally.

We are a registered non-profit society in the Province of BC.